Terms and Conditions
by onekisstotakewithmex
Summary: Kate makes a bit of a shocking discovery that will rock the very foundations of her relationship with Leroy Jethro Gibbs. And when she has to make an announcement, Gibbs has some terms for her when she's in her condition. Kate's alive after the events of Twilight, obviously Kibbs, and Kate/Ducky brotp.


"Caitlin, you've hardly touched your tea… Is everything all right?" Ducky was standing in the doorway to Gibbs' kitchen, watching her carefully.

She picked up the tea, hesitantly swallowing the tea, which had gone from scalding hot to lukewarm since Ducky had set it down in front of her. She knew that he was keeping an eye on her, and giving up a quiet afternoon off to do so, but his hovering was starting to annoy her a little. She set the mug down, offering a smile. "I'm fine, Ducky."

"A bit under the weather?" he asked, walking in and sitting beside her. He smiled.

"I've been worse. I'm sure it's just a stomach flu. You don't need to sit around and watch me throw up, Ducky."

He remained where he was. "Jethro would disagree."

"Jethro doesn't need to know."

"I had a debt to repay."

"So he _asked_ you to come and watch me throw up?"

"Caitlin, I must say, you are a great deal more stubborn than most of my patients."

"I'm also breathing," she pointed out.

He grinned. "That is true. Now, my dear, what seems to be troubling you?"

"My stomach."

"And how long has this been happening?" he asked. She noticed that he'd straightened at her words, and she wondered what he'd diagnose her with. Probably a stomach flu, or food poisoning. That would be the answer, of course. For all he spent his time dealing with bodies, he was still a doctor.

"Uh…" she thought it over. She'd been unable to shake this bug – meaning it was probably a flu of some kind, maybe something she'd picked up at work – which ruled out food poisoning. It had been over a week… nearly two, now that she was thinking about it. "I mean, it's probably been like a week."

His eyes widened. "You've been sick for a week?"

"It's not so much sick…" she was wincing as she tried to make excuses. Ducky was looking really concerned now. Why couldn't she just keep her mouth shut and deal with it? "Look Duck, I've been hydrating, okay?"

"Have you been eating regular meals?" he asked, picking up her wrist, probably to take her pulse. He worried too much, she rationalized. If something was seriously wrong, wouldn't she have developed more serious symptoms by now?

"Yes, I have been. I keep _most_ things down. Maybe I should start a diet or something."

"No, my dear, I wouldn't recommend it. What seems to trigger your nausea?"

"Spicy foods… foods that have a really strong smell."

His eyebrows went up at that. "I see. And tell me Caitlin, have you changed medications or anything recently? Perhaps it was a reaction of some sort." He seemed to be asking her something without actually asking what he wanted to know."

"I don't really take anything. Maybe an aspirin or Pepto once in a while."

"No regular medications?"

"Oh." Her head ducked, and then she looked up, making direct eye contact. She may have been the only female agent on Gibbs' team, but she wore it as a badge of honor. Even when she was surrounded by _men_ who didn't understand a damn thing about women between the three of them. "I _am_ on birth control."

"I see. So you are… regular then?" He didn't seem uncomfortable at all with the question, but it made Kate squirm a bit. She was pleased though. Tony loved joking about Kate being in a mood or joking about PMS, but the subject itself, coming from Kate's mouth, was taboo.

"Yeah… well sort of. The last couple of months have been weird… but that could just be stress right?" she pressed.

"Mmm." He was watching her, his face expressionless.

"Damn it Ducky," she said, losing her patience. "Am I dying or what?"

He stared in surprise, before smiling, which made her relax. If it was serious, he wouldn't be smiling. "Goodness no. Mercifully, you are a patient who will make a full recovery."

"So you know what's wrong with me?" she asked, and he grinned, an even bigger grin.

"Yes Caitlin, you are mercifully going to survive." It was a wry grin across his face, that made her worry more than anything. "But to be safe, I do believe a blood test is in order."

"A blood test! It has to be serious. Ducky, what's wrong with me?"

"I told you my dear," he said, taking her hand. "It's nothing that won't resolve itself."

She looked him in the eye. "Stop dancing around the subject, Donald Mallard, and tell me what the _hell_ is wrong with me."

He hesitated, but gave in after a persistent glare from her. "Very well then… but fear not Caitlin, it isn't bad news."

 **XNCISX**

She was nervously wiggling her toes, sitting on the couch and watching TV when Gibbs came in. She could feel him hovering in the doorframe. "Did Ducky call you?" she asked, not turning to look at him. Maybe he was staying far away out of fear that she was contagious.

"He did. Told me you'd get better soon. And it wasn't contagious. Which is a relief, so I can do this." He walked over, leaning down and kissing her on the forehead, before nudging her with his elbow. "Now move over. Whatcha watchin'?"

"What's it look like?" she retorted, gesturing to the TV where _M*A*S*H_ was playing. It was a scene between Henry and Klinger. They were watching for a few minutes.

And then on the TV, Henry said. _"Oh here's an oldie but a goodie. One half of the family dying, the other half pregnant."_

Gibbs snorted. He turned to Kate, who while they'd been watching had leaned her head on his shoulder. "Which half is which?" he asked her.

"Based on your extensive knowledge of biology, Gibbs, what do _you_ think?" she asked, rolling her eyes.

He grinned. "The female half of the species. As long as Klinger ain't pregnant."

"He is, in one episode."

Gibbs snorted again, shaking his head, but settling back in, wrapping his arm around Kate, her head still resting on his shoulder. They watched the commercials, and as the show came back on, she was silent for a few minutes. She wasn't feeling as gross as she had been before, but she was now just nauseous with anxiety. _How did I manage to get myself into this mess?_

Trapper was staring into space, as Kate rolled her eyes. She'd always preferred Hunnicutt. Hawkeye and Trapper's next exchange made her uneasy.

 _"_ _Do you know how long it's been since I made love to my wife?"_

 _"_ _At least one daughter ago…"_ The banter continued, but before she could stop herself, she was blurting out the damning truth.

"I'm pregnant Jethro."

She felt him tense beside her, and closed her eyes for a second, inwardly panicking. He was upset no doubt. She turned to look at him, and felt as though she'd swallowed a large, lead ball. He was staring straight ahead at the TV, frozen in place. She wanted to rush and fill the terrible silence between them, but couldn't find the appropriate words to follow such a bombshell.

He turned to her. "Okay."

Her relief that it wasn't an admonishment immediately turned to irritation. "I tell you I'm pregnant and the first thing you say is _okay_? Gibbs, I've been agonizing for hours over this! Don't brush me off!"

"Kate." He grabbed her hands. "We talked about this. We're not ready for kids. Remember?"

"It's not like I planned it," she replied bitterly. "And you know it."

"So…" he paused, letting her hands slip from his grasp. "Are you gonna get rid of it?"

She gasped, flinching away from him. " _What_?"

"Katie, if ya aren't ready… we're not doin' this if you can't. Why wouldn't you consider it an option?"

"Because this is my baby Gibbs, but more importantly, it's yours."

"So?" he asked, standing up and running his hands through his hair in agitation. "What does that gotta do with anything?"

"Gibbs." She stood up too, feeling her eyes well up with tears. "Don't you understand? You had no living children, but you do _now._ This is your child, your second chance. How the hell could I ever take that away from you? It has nothing to do with me."

"It has a fair lot to do with you." He was pacing. And then he turned to her, looking strangely disbelieving. "Kate, let me get this straight. Ya aren't ready for kids, but you're willing to carry and have a baby just so that I can have a child?"

She didn't even think, she just spoke. "Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying."

And then she watched him crumble, as he stepped towards her, pulling her into a hug. The face of stone melted away to reveal the vulnerable face underneath. Gibbs was shaking his head as he wrapped his arms around her. "Katie," he said, his voice breaking. "I could never ask ya to do somethin' like that. _Never._ "

"But I'd do it."

"Katie. Forget about me. What do ya want?"

She looked up at him. "You want my honest answer?"

"Yes. That's all I want, Katie. Not some noble "doin' it for me" bullshit. The truth."

"We managed to create a kid, Gibbs. That's pretty amazing. And it'll be life-changing."

"Yeah." He couldn't help himself. "Kids do that."

"But I always wanted to be a mom. I never thought I'd get the chance. And with what happened… in May." _With Ari_. The name hovered beyond them, out of reach, unspoken. "I thought I might never get that chance."

"Ya said you weren't ready."

"I am ready, Gibbs. I'm scared shitless, but I'm ready. I'll do it. But I'm not doing it without you."

He was suddenly outraged. "Ya think I'd abandon ya? And our child?" it sent the tiniest of thrills through her when he said _our child,_ and though he'd only known for a few minutes, he'd already accepted it.

"No, that's not what I meant-,"

"Katie, I don't think ya understand. I am in love with ya. And I'm not the kinda guy to do every other weekend and certain holidays. This is our child, not mine. Not yours. _Ours._ "

She was staring up at him, and then started giggling. At his annoyed and stunned look, she merely said through her laughter, "I don't think I've ever heard you say that many words at once." He grinned too, but the smile slipped when she asked. "So you'll have me then?"

"Both of ya, Katie." And then he grinned, picking her up and kissing her, before setting her down, and leaning his forehead against hers, as he wrapped his arms around her. And then a thought struck him. "Are we gonna have to get married?"

"We're already living in sin, and having a baby out of wedlock," she reasoned. "Why bother?"

"I bring out the worst in ya."

"You being my partner is enough… and if not… we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

"Okay. And Katie?"

"Yes, Jethro?"

"Whatever bridges come next, we'll cross them together."

"Sure." And then she groaned. "Oh shit… what's DiNozzo going to say?"

He started laughing, his future in his arms.


End file.
